8 Y/O Kitty rear legs are very weak

mrsbkosta · Mar 1, 2015

Yesterday our Sweet Dee woke up from a long nap and all of a sudden started stumbling very bad. She couldn't walk right and fell over a few times. I put her on my chest as I sat on the couch and she stayed there a minute but then left and fell again. She got off the couch and stumbled and just layed on the floor as if defeated.

We carried her to the bed room and had her lay there. She became very standoffish. She didn't want to be pet. She is usually very needy and loves attention but didn't want any love at all. I thought she was passing away. She looked very weak!

We called the emergency vet and after a litany of tests we found nothing. All we know now is that her back legs are very weak. She has pepped up a little since it first happened but she still can't walk right.

Last year she had some type of seizure. We brought her to the vet and realized she was hyper thyroid. (Don't know if the seizure and hyperthyroid is linked.) We had the iodine treatment. Everything seemed to take and she seemed to be fine after.

After these set of tests, Her blood is fine, her urine is fine. She had a hyper thyroid test done again, it was good, liver and kidney tests were negative, no diabetes. $700 worth of tests and we have no answers at all. Worst of all, she has no treatment.

We are certain she didn't sustain any injury to cause this.

Does anybody have any experience with this?

As of today she has an appetite again, she can go to the washroom and she purrs a little. She doesn't seem to suffer at all, but there is an obvious difference in her.

ldg · Mar 1, 2015

The most common causes of what you describe are potassium deficiency or a clot. But with the seizure and both legs affected, I'd think potassium. Did they administer sub-q fluids with extra potassium?

FYI a deficiency is only detected when the problem is severe, as the body pulls potassium from the tissues to keep serum levels normal until it can't any longer.

Vibes for your kitty. :vibes:

mrsbkosta · Mar 1, 2015

thanks for the reply!

The vet said she she looked on an ultra sound and she is almost positive there is no clot.

As for the potassium issue, she didn't mention anything, she only sent us home with anti inflammatory (metacam) which we give to her with food.

We'll try giving her potassium. Any ideas of what to feed her?

Just to give you an idea of her diet, Right now we feed all our cats:

- science diet dry food (ages 1-7)

- byproduct and grain free canned food for morning treats (1/6th of a can per serving)

- whiskas treats throughout the day

- real pieces of chicken at dinner time when we eat

- kitty milk periodically

Sweet Dee is an indoor cat. A little over weight since the hyper thyroid surgery. (We spoil her) But overall pretty healthy. Upon the hyperthyroid consult the Dr. said the initial seizure was probably linked to the thyroid problem... but that may have been part of the sales pitch seeing as how the treatment was about $1400 for a needle.

Her last seizure she walked in a small circle over and over again. Same direction, very disoriented and nervous. By the time we got her to the emergency vet she had snapped out of it. IN hind site it was good because it let us know she was suffering from hyper thyroid. The 2 seizures must be linked though?

Thanks very much for the help!

ldg · Mar 1, 2015

Please do not administer potassium without vet supervision. I would ask the vet why potassium was ruled out, and if there would be benefit to trying it. One needs to be very careful if attempting to add potassium, because if kitty doesn't need it she can go into shock and her heart may stop.

mrsbkosta · Mar 1, 2015

Oh I thought it was a curb in her diet.

cprcheetah · Mar 1, 2015

Do use extreme caution when using Metacam it is known to cause Kidney Failure in cats and it's not labeled for use in cats. The box even has warnings against it. Personally I would switch to canned food only diet as cats need moisture in their diet and dry food just cannot supply that. This is a great article that talks about the different diets: http://www.thecatsite.com/a/choosing-the-right-food-for-your-cat Personally I feed 4 of my cats raw and 2 of them canned food only (working at switching them all to raw). I have a 15 year old cat who has pretty bad arthritis who gets weak in her back legs on occasion and will stumble and fall. I have her on Tramadol from the vet as well as Cosequin, Krill Oil, Miralactin and some homeopathic remedies for arthritis, as well as she gets heat therapy via a heating pad on low every day. Cats can have vestibular events that are similar to strokes in people that can cause the weaknesses as well.

mrsbkosta · Mar 1, 2015

Why is that vet giving us this medication if its going to harm the cat?

Thats a good article thanks for the link.

Cheetah we use Werva and Performatrin Ultra and Perfect Bistro canned food. Have you heard of these.? Do you have a daily intake recommondation if they are to totally be weened off dry food? Perhaps 2 meals per day? or 3? Right now, we leave dry food dishes around the house for them to help themselves. If we fed them wet food it would, of course be much different. We both have full time jobs in the military and are away periodically. It would be difficult but if it helps we'd make it work.

The vet says there is no inner ear infection but our cat is favouring her right ear it seems. A couple months ago we treated the same ear for an infection. We spent an awful lot of money to have no answers. I think we will go back to our vet tomorrow. The emergency vet isn't our vet. Maybe a 2nd opinion will shed some new light. I'll also ask about potassium.

Sweet Dee is moving around the house today periodically, although slowly, she seems less confused but she knows she's weak in the rear legs. She's not stumbling as much because it seems that she is being much more careful on her feet. She's favouring her knew problem it seems. She's resting a lot too.

cprcheetah · Mar 1, 2015

MrsBKosta said:
Why is that vet giving us this medication if its going to harm the cat?

Probably the same reason that vets still recommend dry food for cats instead of canned....lack of proper education and there aren't very many options for pain control in cats due to cats being more sensitive to drugs and they metabolize drugs differently than humans or dogs do some vets are willing to take that chance. It can take up to 3 days for them to get some drugs out of their system. If your cat needs something for pain, ask the vet about Tramadol, that is what I give my two arthritic kitties. Metacam can cause kidney issues. I have seen stories of people who have given it for months without issues, but I have seen people who have given a couple of doses and it caused kidney failure. Just wanted to give you a heads up. It is labeled for a one time use as an injection for post surgery pain, but a lot of vets use it as an oral pain medication which is considered off label use. http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm231254.htm

Thats a good article thanks for the link.

Cheetah we use Werva and Performatrin Ultra and Perfect Bistro canned food. Have you heard of these.? Do you have a daily intake recommondation if they are to totally be weened off dry food? Perhaps 2 meals per day? or 3? Right now, we leave dry food dishes around the house for them to help themselves. If we fed them wet food it would, of course be much different. We both have full time jobs in the military and are away periodically. It would be difficult but if it helps we'd make it work.

I have heard of those canned foods and from what I know they are good. This is a helpful guide on how to switch to timed feedings. http://www.thecatsite.com/a/transitioning-free-fed-kibble-kitties-to-timed-meals My 11# cat gets about a 5.5oz can of cat food a day. My cats get fed twice a day based on my schedule before work and when I get home from work.

mrsbkosta · Mar 1, 2015

Thats very confusing. The FDA document states the following: "No safe and effective dose of the oral suspension is approved for cats."

Yet on the Metacam box it states: "Oral suspension for Cats"

Also on the box it states to give up to 2 doses max, yet the vet prescribed to give 1 dose per day for a week.

Clearly the FDA believes this is not a drug that cats should be ingesting orally. I really want to go speak to this vet and ask why she dumped this $40 med on us, especially when its so harmful to our cat!. I will definitely look into Tramadol. Thanks for the info.

I guess you can't even trust a vet, someone who you would hope would be an expert in their field. Ugh.

ldg · Mar 1, 2015

Another pain med - stronger than tramadol - but safer than metacam - often used in cats is Buprenorphine. I think it's called buprenex.

Metacam is often used in the U.K. for pain in cats, but it is used very differently, and at much smaller doses. I assumed you were in the U.K. when you mentioned metacam was prescribed.

Yes, I'd be asking the vet some questions. :nod:

And no, vets are not gods. We often find ourselves needing to be advocates for our cats.

mrsbkosta · Mar 1, 2015

We are in Canada. We had to go to this vet because it was after hours emergency. I'll ask our vet her thoughts on metacam. Maybe Canada follows the same thought process as the UK? But there is no denying what is written on the FDA report. Perhaps newer metacam is better for oral use? Who knows. I don't want to risk it. So Sweet Dee is not going to be taking it any longer.

I'll bring up buprenorphine too. Im putting this all in my cell for tomorrow. Thanks!

This is all assuming that she is suffering from pain. She doesn't seem to be. She is purring, laying on us again, but mostly just seems lethargic and run down. Ofcourse its impossible to tell if she's in pain, but I don't want to give her pain meds if she isn't in pain. She's walking around more and more. Don't know if thats from the metacam or not. It was given to her after the vet last night at 11:00 pm

cprcheetah · Mar 1, 2015

It is probably the Metacam that has helped as it is an anti-inflammatory. It is licensed for use in Canada and the UK and I have been reading up that they have not had as many adverse effects as listed in the U.S.A. It has been approved for use in the UK and Canada for several years for ongoing oral dosing for joint problems. I will say that I work for a vet and they use metacam for cats (off label) and the dose they prescribe is higher than the dose I am finding that the UK and Canada recommend, which is probably why there are more adverse affects in the USA because Vets are miscalculating the correct dose and giving too much of it.

Why is Metacam Used for Cats in Other Countries If It is Not Safe?

Metacam has been successfully used even as an ongoing, oral medication for cats in other countries for many years. In these nations, the medication is available as a cat-specific medication. It is delivered to veterinarians and pet owners in the correct concentration for cats and contains detailed information on calculating the appropriate dosage for cats based on their weight and other considerations. Vets that have prescribed the medication for cats in the U.S. as an oral suspension have done so using a prepared concentration intended for dogs, and may also, in some cases, not be calculating the dosage correctly for cats. These factors may contribute to the reasons that Metacam has generally been used without major incidents in other countries but has been associated with a number of serious incidents in the U.S.

I would definitely ask about the Buprenorphine as it is a great pain option for cats.

cataan · Mar 2, 2015

Since this was not mentioned, one thing you can do is feel the paws of the affected limbs and compare them to unaffected ones - do they feel cold(er) to the touch? If so, it could be a sign of a clot or some other circulatory issue. It's simple to do and takes all of 30 seconds so you no reason not to do so.

bluemanx · Mar 2, 2015

Same thing happened to my 7 year old male Ragdoll. Just out of the blue his hind legs were dragging. Went to Vet she gave him a good checkup on his skeletal system. x-ray showed nothing, but she suspected it was a tender ACL. He received steroid shot and sent home. After a week, he was walking much better, but not able to jump on the bed.

Bought dog stairs, and now all my cats use the stairs ! Other wise he can jump anywhere. Best wishes for you and your baby.

mrsbkosta · Mar 2, 2015

Yes the vet checked the paws for coldness and discolouration. The vet ruled out a blood clot for now with a few tests. Today Sweet dee was walking around normal! She seems to have a little more energy back but were keeping an eye on her.

She isn't the type of cat to roam around and explore so I don't think its an injury. She only stays on the couch or the bed and stays with us all the time when were home so I really don't think she sustained any type of injury. Not impossible but unlikely thats the cause.

We arent thinking we are out of the woods yet but hopefully this is a good sign.

overwhelmed2 · Mar 2, 2015

MrsBKosta said:
Why is that vet giving us this medication if its going to harm the cat?

Thats a good article thanks for the link.

Cheetah we use Werva and Performatrin Ultra and Perfect Bistro canned food. Have you heard of these.? Do you have a daily intake recommondation if they are to totally be weened off dry food? Perhaps 2 meals per day? or 3? Right now, we leave dry food dishes around the house for them to help themselves. If we fed them wet food it would, of course be much different. We both have full time jobs in the military and are away periodically. It would be difficult but if it helps we'd make it work.

The vet says there is no inner ear infection but our cat is favouring her right ear it seems. A couple months ago we treated the same ear for an infection. We spent an awful lot of money to have no answers. I think we will go back to our vet tomorrow. The emergency vet isn't our vet. Maybe a 2nd opinion will shed some new light. I'll also ask about potassium.

Sweet Dee is moving around the house today periodically, although slowly, she seems less confused but she knows she's weak in the rear legs. She's not stumbling as much because it seems that she is being much more careful on her feet. She's favouring her knew problem it seems. She's resting a lot too.

Don't believe everything (or anything ) you read on the Internet. I agree - vets are not Gods - but based on experience, years of study, talking and conferencing with their colleagues and clinical experience they weigh up the risks versus the benefits and prescribe what they think is best for their patient. We read one or 2 articles on the Internet and think we are experts. Don't get me wrong - I'm guilty of this too. And these days anyone with an opinion - no matter how misinformed - can start a website and call themselves an expert. We need to trust though that the professionals know better than we do - if you are doubtful, seek a second opinion, but I wouldnt be changing treatment based on something I read on the Internet. In Australia, metacam is used extensively in cats. It's not recommended if they have kidney problems but even then it was prescribed to help the pain in my cat with kidney failure and I believe it did help her quality of life at the end. Maybe find a vet you can trust and discuss the best options. I wish you luck. Hugs and soft belly rubs for kitty.

denice · Mar 2, 2015

I think the U.S is the only country where Metacam is not used extensively when an anti-inflammatory type pain killer is needed. I used to say the same thing, no Metacam ever but I have changed my mind on that. In certain situations with proper precautions such as careful dosing and making sure that kitty is getting enough fluids, it can enhance quality of life for a kitty that has joint issues.

I do believe that for general short term pain relieve such as after dental extractions the opiate is a better and safer choice.

mrsbkosta · Mar 2, 2015

I agree with you both. I have to give vets their due respect and the benefit of the doubt. What I'm going on is the FDA document.

It is however, contradicting when my package says its specifically meant for oral use.

I got the second opinion and mine says that it is definitely safe for cats.

Today as the day went on Sweet Dee looks much better. Because of this we haulted meds. We are going to monitor her before we go to the vet again. Do you recommend we continue the anti inflammatory even though she looks fine?

The vet didn't specify when she prescribed. And I don't want to give pain killers to our cat when she isn't in pain.

overwhelmed2 · Mar 2, 2015

MrsBKosta said:
I agree with you both. I have to give vets their due respect and the benefit of the doubt. What I'm going on is the FDA document.

It is however, contradicting when my package says its specifically meant for oral use.

I got the second opinion and mine says that it is definitely safe for cats.

Today as the day went on Sweet Dee looks much better. Because of this we haulted meds. We are going to monitor her before we go to the vet again. Do you recommend we continue the anti inflammatory even though she looks fine?

The vet didn't specify when she prescribed. And I don't want to give pain killers to our cat when she isn't in pain.

I would phone the vet and ask if you need to continue with the meds and for how long.

becky j · Mar 3, 2015

Talk (by phone if necessary) to the vet before you give her anything. It's not a good idea when someone/some kitty is this out-of-normal to be just doing what sounds good.

8 Y/O Kitty rear legs are very weak

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Why is Metacam Used for Cats in Other Countries If It is Not Safe?

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